Single-parent families by race/ethnicity

Families & households

Single-parent families by race/ethnicity

What does this measure?

The number of single-parent families with children under 18 years of age, as a percentage of all families with children under 18, by racial/ethnic group.

Why is this important?

Children in single-parent families are far more likely to grow up in low-income households than those living with two parents. They are at greater risk of low academic performance and behavioral problems and may experience parental conflict and residential instability as well.

How is our region performing?

In 2010-14, the share of single-parent families in the region was much among black families (68%) than other racial/ethnic groups. The region's share for black families was slightly higher than rates in the state (67%) and nation (64%). Just under 27% of white families in the region were headed by a single parent, comparable to the state and nation. For Asian and Hispanic families, rates of single-parent families (11% and 29% respectively) were lower than state and national rates.

In Knox County, 74% of black families and 28% of Hispanic families were headed by single-parents. Populations of some racial/ethnic groups in less populous counties were too small to yield reliable figures.

Notes about the data

The multiyear figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined three five years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census.